It isn't the obvious move to launch a new media brand in 2017. Public trust in media institutions is at an all-time low.

Social platforms allow for unprecedented access to global audiences, but also make it tough for news media to develop a deep connection and foster trust with those same audiences. Business models – especially ones with enough momentum to grow media companies – remain elusive.

But it’s precisely these challenges that have motivated us at Al Jazeera Digital to launch Jetty.In the tradition of our parent company, Al Jazeera, we’re diving in headfirst, in the hopes of bringing honest, inspiring, consequential stories to audiences around the world -- this time, to listeners.

AJ+ launched over three years ago and quickly connected with an amazing audience we’ve come to call "the new mainstream." These are folks who are comfortable with overlapping identities, questioning the status quo, and hopeful for a more inclusive, global future.

Jetty, incubated inside the AJ+ office, is bottling some of the curiosity and energy that catapulted AJ+ and is bringing it to podcasting. We're excited to be making shows that take on some of the most important issues we collectively face – without taking ourselves too seriously.

Jetty’s original productions are anchored by hosts with depth of experience and expertise, and thoughtful points of view. These hosts are paired with skilled producers, sound designers and engagement specialists to create compelling storytelling and immersive conversation.

And we're not shying away from the fact that we’re part of a video company. We've been working closely with video teams at Al Jazeera to develop both audio and video that complement and inform each other. We'll be learning how video can help solve one of the toughest problems in podcasting: the high friction in connecting with new listeners.

It’s finding ways of connecting with new listeners that we’re most excited about.

Our first show, Closer Than They Appear, debuts November 15. In future shows, we’ll be expanding Jetty's production internationally and pushing the boundaries of the podcasting medium. Join us on this adventure.

To listen to the trailer of Closer Than They Appear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or your preferred podcatcher. Find Jetty on Twitter, Facebook, and be sure to sign up for our email list.